


Weapons in the Form of Words

by fallingmistinthedark



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Artificial Intelligence, Disclaimer: Enitrely Ficitonal, Excessive Cat Puns, F/F, F/M, Hawkmoth, It's a mix of the two, Kidnapping, Magic, Memory Loss, Motorcycles, No Kwami's, Nooroo - Freeform, Plagg and Tikki are present though, Resistance, Science Fiction, Spaceships, Telekinesis, aged-up, identity reveals, love square
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 03:37:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7785280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallingmistinthedark/pseuds/fallingmistinthedark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Everybody wants what they just can't hold.</em>: Nobody Praying for Me - Seether</p><p>Marinette can't remember a time before the School. All she knows is the uniforms, bunks, and reinforced walls of the hallways she walks through. </p><p>Adrien can't remember why he's helping his father anymore. When he and Alya infiltrate the School, they go in looking for three specific people. What they don't expect to see is a lithe black-haired girl with dull blue eyes and their reason for fighting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I'm a Star That's Just a Black Hole Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some world-building in Marinette POV.

This world is not kind. I know, big shocker. Yeah, yeah, but seriously, it's not pretty. In fact, the world I've come to know is pretty disfigured. It's like painting a perfect picture and then someone takes it and rips it up, before replacing it with a different picture. It's the same, but not. Things are darker, the scene depicts something else. It's warped, and it frankly creeps you out. The lines are blurred in different places, where some lines are so uniform, you'd almost think it's a photograph. 

I guess I should introduce myself if we're going to be acquainted properly. Nice to meet you, I'm Alya Cèsaire, and I'll be your mindfucker this fine fine day. I say this as ash rains down from above and people are losing their fucking minds. It's actually pretty funny if you can detach yourself from it all and tune out the screams and panicked voices. It's a pretty twisty story that leads here, and I'm not the star of that story, so I think I'll let her tell the rest of it. For now, at least.

10 Years Ago

_"Mama, will I be a prince when I grow up?" The little boy situated in between the blonde woman's legs speaks with such wonder that the woman laughs, tucking a strand of his blond hair behind his ear. The room is bright, despite the glass dome that perfectly showcased Earth._

_"Of course. But whoever will be your princess?" She asks, and her child givers her an innocent smile, his green eyes lighting up like he has the perfect answer._

_"Marinette! She's nice and pretty, just like a princess!" The woman smiles wistfully at his statement, before closing the book of dreams in her lap._

_"Remember to always protect her then, okay?" She asks, holding the book between her side and arm before leaning to pick her child up._

_"I will!"_

Waking up from those dreams are disorienting at best, nightmarish at worst. I hate when I have dreams like these, mostly because most of the time they're hellish, but this time, the feeling was happy and bright, but the one thing that did creep me out was that the blond boy in the dream knew my name. 

As my vision clears, I notice that it's light outside and the sky is a picturesque blue. I take this time to remind myself that they're just weird dreams, nothing more. I then notice that I've slept the whole night, which is unusual when I have dreams like these. 

"Marinette? You awake yet?" I stretch as I decide whether or not to answer, a few more minutes of rest, or a warm breakfast. I decide on a warm breakfast as I swing my legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the last remnants of sleep out of my eyes. 

"Yes, Mama!" I respond when the door to my bedroom is open. I shuffle down the hallway, still not fully awake when I amble down the stairs and into the living room. I immediately spot the oddity in my kitchen. A man in a black suit sits at the island, chatting politely with my mother. She spots me and waves me over, turning the man's attention to me. His eyes take me in methodically, like he's looking for something. He nods to himself as I take a hesitant step forward, flicking my eyes to my mother for something. 

"Marinette, this is Mr. Moreau, he's from the Department of Education." Mama seems tense, with the way she moves around the kitchen then, checking on breakfast for the family. 

"Hello. Good morning." I say politely, seating myself at the kitchen table in the farthest chair away from him. My Papa comes in then, seating himself across from me at the table. He doesn't ask for an introduction, and nobody offers to introduce them, so I assume he's already met Mr.Moreau. 

"So, Mr.Moreau, what brings you here this morning?" Mama asks as she flips the pancakes. 

"I'm here to test your daughter." He states, sipping his cup of coffee (it's the ladybug one that I made for Mama a few years ago) like it's the most normal thing in the world. 

"And why would that be?" Papa asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, to put it simply, the country has instituted new laws that require home visits for certain new tests to be conducted." Mr.Moreau observes me then, not bothering to hide his interest in me. I want to shudder, but I've been taught to not be rude, so I hold still. 

"What for?" Mama asks, back to the stove and putting pancakes on plates. 

"You have read or heard of the new scientific discoveries as of late, I assume?" He asks, and when both my parents nod curtly, he smiles in a way that leaves me confused. Why does he take pleasure in this?

"Of what they're calling Magic? That it cane be found in certain people?" Papa clarifies, and Mr.Moreau's smile widens incrementally. 

"Why, yes. I'm here to test your daughter." 

"I will not have my daughter be made into a weapon for the military. I've seen what they can do, and I know what will come of it." Her father spits, looking the man dead in the eyes.

"Oh no, Mr.Dupain. That's not what I'm here for. I'm here to see if she is to enroll her in the new school they have right here in Paris, for the magically-enabled." The man's tone sounded like a thinly veiled threat to me, but Mama simply smiled and nodded as she brang the plates out to the table. 

"I appreciate the effort, though even if she could we are keeping her in the school she goes to now. We wouldn't want to separate her from her best friend. They're very close and she enjoys school." She places the plates one at a time, strategically so that she can keep eyes on our guest the whole time. 

"I see. I will mark her as 'Exempt'. The nation can not enforce anything on children if the parents disapprove. I will take my leave now. I thank you for your time today." And with that, he stands and exits, not waiting for my parents the walk him out. The door closes, signaling he is gone. Of not for the ladybug coffee cup, I would have almost though the whole thing never happened. My father lets his breath out, his eyebrows straightening out as he relaxes. My mother sighs, picking up her fork before turning to start a conversation with Papa. 

I go to school exactly like I usually do, walking halfway there by myself and the other half with Alya. She always has something new to talk about and the way she can talk on and on calms me. She'll prompt me to talk if I really need to. It's comfortable, and we're laughing by the time we get to the school building, this morning's events all but forgotten. That is until I spot the same man from this morning watching from the sidewalk across the street. I don't feel entirely comfortable for the rest of the day, like someone is watching me just outside of my vision. The lessons and classes are normal, except some students have been removed from class for the new school halfway across the city. They had magic. 

At the end of the day, Alya tells me she has to do something at the library with her brother, so she won't be going back home the same way. I try to get her to walk with me, I don't feel safe walking alone. In the end though, she goes her way and I go mine. The feeling gets stronger as I walk. I don't turn around, too scared to see if something actually is behind me. When the footsteps start, I have to use all of my willpower not to run. I tell myself I'm just too paranoid, but when the footsteps go from walking to running, I feel a dropping feeling in the depths of my stomach. I can feel the person directly behind me just before everything goes dark as a cloth is out on my mouth. 

5 Years Ago

"Again!" Th word is spit like a command. I would've flinched years ago, but now it's just getting annoying. I do what I'm told, performing the simple action of telekinesis again, though with the 1 ton rock in front of me, the task becomes ever so much harder. Easy objects, like clothes, hairbrushes, and dolls were things of the past, and I used to think those were hard. Now I find myself wishing on my luckiest stars that I could go back to doing things like that. Madame Mendeleiev watches my efforts. My record with this rock is about three feet, which is better than even some of the older students, according to her. 

"Need-" I choke out when the effect won't take hold, my mouth feeling like sandpaper "-water." Mendeleiev's face twists in something akin to disgust, like I've personally wronged her. I'm used to it though. Most of the instructor's here are ex-military, and I've heard from some of the older students that the military has labeled us as 'not human' behind the country's back, despite it's insistencies that the instructors are cruel to bring out the very best in us. About 2% of the student body here actually believes that shit. I grab the water bottle as soon as it offered, taking small sips every few seconds. Once I'm finished, Mendeleiev avoids the area's I've touched like a disease.

"Again!" She barks, barely giving me a moment's more rest. I reach out and pull on the rock, pull it upwards with all I have in me, hoping to be able to leave and go back to the shared bedroom I have with four other girls. I wouldn't call it a bedroom though. It has two bunks and it's poorly lit, and almost as tiny as a jail cell. The student's here jokingly call them the 'Barracks'. I'm not so sure it's jokingly anymore. The rock lifts upward so fast Mendleiev actually takes a tiny step back, a shocked look on her face. The rock has lifted up another four inches from my record. She clicks her tongue as she rights it down, like she was hoping this could've lasted longer. "You may go, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. I expect to see you here next week." 

I duck out of the room as fast as I can. I can't stand tests like that, since all they ever do is remind you that you are not free. Not here. They control you and will use you as a weapon. The older students are already gone for weeks at a time without explanation, and they never say where they go. Rumor is that once they start teaching you to crush things with dummies, you're enlisted. I try to avoid that as much as possible.

I duck back into my bunk faster, wanting nothing more than to shove my face into my shitty pillow on the shitfest of an item they call a 'bed', which it is most certainly not. I find, however, that two of my other bunkmates, Juleka and Rose are sitting on it. They whip their heads around so fast that I'm almost sure it hurt. They relax when they realize it's just me, and Rose murmurs a quiet "Hello, Marinette."

"I'm using yours. Mendeleiev was extra sadistic today. Wake me up for dinner." I fall onto the bed, my face hitting the pillow just like I imagined. I turn my head after a moment to face them, both now wearing sympathetic smiles. I remember they have the only teacher considered anywhere close to nice in this school, a woman named Madame Bustier.

"Sure thing, Marinette." Juleka mimics a soldier salute, and I would laugh at that if we weren't in this situation. I'm not entirely sure what life outside these walls is. I've never seen it. I mean, I used to, but I can't remember anything before the time when I was almost 13. I don't remember my parents, though I'm sure I have them. I wonder sometimes if they ever think of me, or if they're dead, or if they even care at all. I fall asleep to the quiet conversation Juleka and Rose have. 

True enough, Juleka honors her word and wakes me up, the dinner bells ringing shrilly in the background. I sit up, numbly recognizing the sound of hundreds of students walking in the same direction outside the door once the ringing quiets. We open the door, slipping out into the wave of kids easily. I see the new kids that have only been brought in recently struggling to not knock into people. I can't blame them, since it took me a whole year to master this part of life here.

"Hey! You!" A girl's voice startles me. I whip my head behind me to find a girl about my age maintaining an easy position, even though I have never seen her before. I know all the kids in my class, as well as the one in front of me and the one behind me. I have never seen her before. Her hair is a dark auburn at the roots, giving away to a lighter auburn as the hair moves down. She has a mole above her right eye, though it doesn't take away from her face. She looks surprised, relieved, and confused.

"Yes?" I ask, thinking she'd probably ask for help or something. Her face changes then, smoothing out in an almost unnatural way. I recognize it, mostly because it's the same face I wear when I'm willing myself not to cry. I feel bad, like I answered one of Mendeleiev's questions wrong. 

"Uh, sorry. You look like someone I knew." She answers quietly. Her answer is strange, but I don't push it. I want to, but instead I turn back around. I'm highly aware of the guards watching the procession inherently. I can't do anymore than that. 

The rest of the walk/jog (really, pick a speed, you can't have both, the others should know that by now) is as quiet as a crowd of kids going to the massive dining hall can be. Nobody really speaks, unless they've managed to learn to put up sound barriers. They don't teach us that, of course. The older kids figured it out and taught some others how to do it, but they're very selective about who they teach. I have been taught, by an older girl who died a while back. I don't use it, too afraid of getting caught. 

The line is silent, save for the plopping of the goop they call food and the clanging of the metal of the kitchen. The students nod when we want to say thank you to the people that work the line, but nobody ever does because they always grunt in annoyance and some even growl. There's a silly rumor that they're not exactly human, but I don't feel like it's rumors like these that the students should be focusing on. The ones we should be focusing on is the enlistment rumors. 

I sit at my usual seat, I guard it highly, and ever since the incident in my first few months here where I lifted a chair a foot off the floor and chucked it at the boy without ever touching it, no one bothers me except for my bunkmates. Juleka and Rose sit across from me while our other roommate, Alix, sits next to me. Alix is missing, since she has 'extra' training with Mendeleiev again. Alix is one of the strongest of our class, with the most endurance and the means to protect herself. I figure Mendeleiev told the 'School Board' that and now she's training the shit out of her before we all graduate to the next 'class' next month. 

"Marinette... I don't want to stay here anymore." Rose mutters miserably from where she sits across from me. I offer a strained sympathetic smile. She shouldn't talk like that. That's the kind of talk that killed my friend. 

"Shhh. It'll be fine. Just do your very best and they'll go easy. Don't talk like that again, you hear me?" Juleka comes moments later, rubbing a soothing hand into our friend's back. She shoots me a questioning gaze, asking what happened. I blink twice, our signal for when any one of us falls prey to the hopelessness that lingers everywhere here. My insistence that we will get out one day is the only thing keeping us four going. 

"Uh, sorry to bother you, but I can't find a place to sit, and that seat's open." I slide my gaze over the same girl from earlier, whose uniform is now rumpled and her hair in disarray. It looks like she wasn't forceful enough to get what she wanted. 

"Have at it. It's usually occupied though, so today's your lucky day." I mutter, somewhat bitterly. I hate this place. Have I said that before?

"Thanks!" She chirps, setting her tray beside me. She slides into the seat, immediately landing her gaze on me. This girl has a weird fascination with me, it seems. "What's your name?" She asks, reaching for her roll. It tastes more like paper than anything, but I'm sure she knows. 

"Marinette." I take a bite of my own food, swallowing before I even taste the flavor. "And that's Rose and Juleka." The girl nods, but I can notice the slight tremble in her hands. I wonder briefly what her deal is, but then I remember that extensive training can result in shaking hands. I used to get shaking hands all the time. Now, I get the, every so often. I'm surprised I don't have the, as of now, actually. 

"Alya." She supplies, cringing a little when she looks back at her plate. That reaction tells me enough to know how new she is. 

"It gets better." Rose murmurs from across the table, obviously feeling better than she did minutes before. Talking to people helps with keeping her spirits up. Juleka snickers at her, brushing her hair over her shoulder. 

"It doesn't." She tells Alya, finally taking a bite of her own food. Alya flicks me a confused glance, similar to the one she had earlier.

"What they're trying to say is that the food starts tasting bearable and the training gets worse." I mediate, scooping the next bite of whatever this is supposed to be into my mouth, swallowing just as, if not faster than before.

"Good to know." She groans. Shoving the food into her mouth and swallowing it just as fast as we've been. "That helped, I guess." She says once it's down, sticking her tongue out in disgust. We laugh quietly not then, a flicker of light in the dark we've been trapped in.

Days later, once Alix and Alya start sitting with us, Mendeleiev starts pushing me harder, even teaching me different ways to protect myself. I'm no good at any of them, but it's probably because I'm so small. Mendeleiev's a literal giant and I barely have any wait after 3 solid years of this place's meals. I fear that she has something in mind for me, and I grow cold with the realization that she might start teaching me the 'Crush' technique. In my mind, crush means enlistment, which means killing, and I don't want to do that. It'd make me the same as the people that killed my friend. A monster.

I'm walking back from the session when someone runs into me. That would be normal, except it's after curfew. I'm given exemption tonight from Mendeleiev since she kept me so late. I didn't even have dinner tonight. They would've knocked me to the ground if I hadn't pushed them slightly off of me with telekinesis. They straighten out, hard eyes softening monumentally once they land on me. 

"Oh, um, uh, M-, I mean, I'm sorry." I can tell now they're a boy and he's got green eyes like pools of warmth. They remind me of something, but they feel comforting. I almost even smile. 

"It's fine, though the guards won't be fine with it. You should probably get back to your bunk." The boy blinks in surprise, drawing a piece of paper identical to mine, with the signature of a Instructor Fu on it. "Never mind then. See you around." I step around him to walk away, content with that being the end of the conversation. I didn't especially like getting attached to things around here. 

"Wait!" He calls quietly, and now I have to turn around or else I'd feel bad for the next day. It strikes me then that I don't know who he is, even though he looks the same age as me. Weird, two strangers in a week. I wonder why that is. "I'm Adrien" he says, once he's got my attention.

"And I'm leaving." I tell 'Adrien' before turning on my heel and walking away, despite how many times he tries to ask what my name is. 

The next day, Mendeleiev is very close to sadistic with the way she trains me. I don't get water until I do whatever it is she wants me to do. That day I have neither lunch or dinner. I go to sleep with the empty feeling inside my stomach. I dream of green eyes, black glasses and the smell of pancakes. When I wake up, I realize all over again how much I hate this place.


	2. Everybody Loves to See a Fall Unfold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot starts moving vroom vroom

5 Years Ago

I scream at the tearing and snapping sensation in my arm, struggling to get Mendeleiev off me anyway I can. In the end, I manage to shove her off hard with my telekinesis, sending her flying back into the wall. She grunts when she hits the wall, snapping her gaze up to meet mine when her feet hit the ground. My breaths calm, though they make a strained wheezing sound, and I instinctually move my hand to hold my injured arm close, never taking my eyes off of her. 

"Do it, you little bitch. See where that gets you." She spits, face twisted in disgust. 

"You broke my arm." I growl as I start edging my way out of the room. She doesn't move, instead, she throws her head back and laughs. 

"You deserved it too. I knew you didn't have it on you." She mutters, voice growing ever quieter as I close the sliding door behind me. I limp my way back to my room, desperately trying to keep from crying. I haven't eaten in two days, and my last drink of water was hours ago. My hair clings to my face from the sweat, and I flinch as my injured arm hits the wall. I hate that she's right, more than anything. I can't kill her for two reasons. One, it would make me just like her. Two, they'd kill me, and I'd never see the world outside of this place. I'd never be free.

"Why me?" I whisper, voice cracking with all my frustration. Why did I have to be picked? Why did I get her? Why do I have to out up with this? Why was I ever handed this life? Why?

"You look _paw_ -sitively horrible, _Purr_ -incess." I don't even turn around, too astounded by the incredibly idiotic pun to move. Did he just? Yes, he did.

"That's a horribly punny way to tell me I look like shit." I say, continuing to limp down the relatively empty hallway. I keep my eyes in front of me, because I'd rather ignore this person right now then give them any of my attention. 

"Ah! You made a pun. I'm so proud. I didn't think you were _cape_ -able." the voice has a certain undeniable smugness, but I can tell whoever it is hesitant to do this. Whatever this is. I continue limping, facing forward, telling myself that I can still ignore him. 

"Ah, c'mon Princess, the least you could do is look at me. Or am I really that unseemly?" He asks, and I try, I really try to continue ignoring him, but he steps out from around me and blocks my way. I glare up at him, not breaking my gaze even when I realize what a ridiculous outfit he's wearing. It looks like leather, but the way it reveals all of his muscle tells me it's closer to spandex. He wears a black mask that dulls is green eyes, he wear gloves on his fingers to look like cat claws, and he even has _ears_ for fucks sake. 

"You're awfully persistent aren't ya?" I remark, moving to get past him. I can feel his eyes as I get past him, but the soft patter of what I noticed were iron capped leather boots alerts me that he's moving to catch up. 

"I am, if it means I can sweep my Princess off her feet." No sooner than he says it, does he actually sweep me off my feet. I'm in his arms before I can tell him to stop. I wince as my injured arm hits the wall, hissing as the pain subsides. 

"Watch it. I can still slap you." I inform him, gazing indignantly at his stupid pretty eyes. I blink as I realize what I just thought about him. Pretty awful eyes... that's what I meant. 

"Not in this condition, _nya_ -onsetly Princess, just let me help you." He blinks his eyes his in quick succession, like he's trying to produce puppy-eyes. Or, would it be kitten-eyes? _Fuck, now's not the time, Mari._

For good measure, I nudge him with my mind, and he stumbles a little. He locks his eyes on mine the , having correctly guessed what just happened. 

"Point taken, Princess." I nudge him again at the nickname that I never wanted nor asked for. He chuckles at that. "No can do, Princess. You're stuck with this name of mine for you." I pout at that, but otherwise remain silent, since he's getting there faster than I ever would have. We go past the nurses office, and I notice then that I haven't seen any guards. Usually the guards are packing the hallways after curfew, which is the time at present. I crane my neck, trying to find a guard, any guard, but I find none. I find the boy carrying me looking at me sadly, like he regrets somethings, I realize too late that he has his claws pressing into my back, and I barely feel the prick as everything fades out. "I'm sorry, Princess. I had to get you."

"Al-" A spot of light

"Yes, I-" I recognize the voice, dimly. 

"No, yo-" An argument, then.

"Yes, we ar-" My eyes are open, but my hearing keeps cutting out.

"She's awake, gotta go." Finally, my hearing seems to be working. I catch a glimpse of rich gold to my left, and I turn my neck to see the guy from... when is this? There is light streaming in through windows, actual windows without bars. I can hardly believe this real. I can feel the breeze over my face, and smell the metallic scent of fresh rain. I would have cried if I wasn't so sure I was dehydrated. 

"Who-?" I croak, my throat already beginning to feel the effects of dryness. He comes closer, holding out his hand like he wants to touch me, but I shy away and he puts it down. 

"Chat. Chat Noir. I'm here because I was assigned to get three people out of that School. You, however, were not one of them. I may get punished for this, but I couldn't leave you there." His- Chat's words confuse me. Why me? The same question I asked right before I met him. Why did he choose me of all people to free from that hell?

"Water." The whole words comes out without a crack now, but that doesn't mean I don't want water. He reaches behind himself and hands me an open bottle of water. It doesn't look like anybody's dranken from it yet. I sip at it at first, taking steady but small swigs as I sit up. My arm feels much better, but it still throbs with pain as I move. I flinch when a hand is laced on my arm. I look up to see Chat's moved much closer than before and I didn't even notice. 

"How's you arm? I set it while you were out. Oh, and before you ask, you've been unconcious for about a day." I find Chat's worry funny. Nobody except my bunkmates and Alya ever really cared about me, so why would he?

"Fine. Thank you." I tell him, setting the bottle of water down. I really take a look around my location now, stunned to find that this was probably an old warehouse. It's floors are dusty and you can see the dust dancing in the late afternoon(?) sunlight.

"Good. We should get moving. Unless you want to tell me your name?" Chat suggests hopefully. I smirk for the first time, reveling in my freedom for now. 

"No. Princess is fine for now." I say, swinging my legs off the table I was laying on. My body delighted in the space to run around that I always imagined would be available. I follow the already moving Chat out the large slidey doors and out into the sunlight. The sky is dotted with grey clouds and the ground is covered with moisture. It's rained, and the buildings around here, mostly warehouses, are glistening with drops. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, I'm sure. Chat coughs, gaining my attention.

"Well, hop on." He tells me, motioning towards a large motorcycle. It's black with slight green accents, and I imagine it must glow in the dark. The seat is big enough for two, so when he sits I slide into place behind him. I know I should probably be wary, but after he helped and didn't kill me after being out for a day, then I doubt he'd kill me. 

_"Where to, kid?"_ A metallic voice rings out when the motorcycle turns on, startling me for a second before Chat grins back at me. 

"Plagg! Oh, how glad I am to hear you!" Chat trills, and the motorcycle makes a noise similar to annoyance. 

_"Headquarters, then?"_ Plagg asks, and as soon as Chat nods, the motorcycle roars to life and it pushes forward, propelling us closer to the heart of the city. 

The ride is wonderful, and I get to see so many people walking on the sidewalk as with smiles. Children run in parks we pass, blissfully unaware of what awaits the, if they are deemed gifted. I grip Chat a bit tighter at the thought. Nothing seems wonderful after that. I still look at the sights, but I do it almost sadly. 

When Chat turns into the driveway of a large mansion, I almost question him. That is, until the garage door opens before he even gets there. He swings his legs off, walking with a sort of skip on his step to the large screen on the far side of the garage. I remain seated, watching with interest as he plugs something into it, a microchip if I'm right. A pair of green eyes followed by a cat's body show up, and it's expression is disgruntled. 

_"Get me in the mainframe, kid. I got no time for he right now. Hawkmoth wants to activate Tikki anyday now, and I have to start the screening process."_ The cat's mouth opens and closes like it's talking as Plagg's voice starts and ends. It takes me a moment to realize that the cat is Plagg. 

"Ah, c'mon Plagg! All I need you to do is tell her where she is, I have to go." And with that, Chat leaves me in a room with the literal hellish incarnation of Grumpy Cat.

 _"Would it kill him to say please and thank you sometimes?"_ Plagg laughs before sighing and directing his attention to me. _"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you are now under the protection of Gabriel Agreste and will be expected to earn your keep. Goals include getting rid of the schools and nonsense laws like the Bourgeois Pacts."_ From the way he droned this, I could tell he really didn't want to say it, but he had to anyway. I nodded along, only really actually nodding when he said something about laws. I knew there were laws that protected the school system. There had to be. 

"Thank you. Where do I go?" I ask, sliding off the motorcycle, my feet hitting the cold polished cement. Just as Plagg looks like he's about to answer, the door to the garage swings open and a girl... Alya?! pops out. She smiles widely at me, rushing to tackle me into a hug. 

"Girl! I'm so glad you made it out! Welcome to the team." Alya exclaims, pulling back to get a good look at my face. I stare back at her with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and relief. Alya chuckles a little as she lets go, and I see she's already dressed in different clothing. A plaid overshirt that she's left unbuttoned, a white t-shirt underneath, and jeans.

"There's a team?" I ask, and Alya nods as another question comes to mind. "You're on the team?" She laughs at the second question.

"I've been on the team since I was 14. I infiltrated the School for this assignment. I hope you don't mind that." She smiles, before motioning for me to follow her out the garage. "Anyways, the person who runs the operation her, Gabriel Agreste, wants to see you in his office, so I'll just take you there now." She says, carefully maneuvering around a table in the center of the entrance room. The place is really beautiful, but for some reason it's inherently cold in here.

"Agreste..." I murmur, more to myself than anyone. The name sounds familiar, but for the life of me I don't know why. 

"Hmm? Yeah, that's his name. You might've heard it since he's famous in this city for being a fashion entrepreneur." Alya tells me as we make our way through different hallways. 

"Really? Does he provide the uniforms for the School?" I ask, since I could've read the name when my uniform was still new. 

"Yes, actually. That's how he got Chat into the School." She pauses for a moment, turning to face a large door that looks important. "Here we are. Mr. Agreste is in there." She motions to the door I had singled out. "Good luck. Just tell the truth and you'll be alright." She smiles as she knocks on the door and walks quickly away. I seize up when a attentive cough comes from the other side, followed by footsteps and the door opens gently, revealing a angular woman with red hair in a bun and a business suit. She takes one look at me and turns around to talk to the other person in the room.

"Mr.Agreste? Ms.Dupain-Cheng is here." She announces with scrutiny in her tone, eyes viciously judging me as I step inside. 

"Thank you Nathalie. Ah. Ms.Dupain-Cheng. Welcome to freedom and my home. Chat tells me great things about you. I'm sure you *will be of use to me and my cause, no?" The voice, I find, belongs to a younger looking man sitting behind a dark wood desk. His suit is white with purple accents and his hair is styled pristinely. His expression is passive, but I can sense the threat hidden deep in his tone. 

"Of course." I respond, because, what else can I say? I know nothing about my family, or if I even have one. I don't know if I have anywhere else to go. Also, if he's getting kids out of the Schools, why not help him? 

"I was informed you have some memory loss? How far back does that go?" He asks, flicking his eyes back and forth from the screen to me. His face is unreadable, but his eyes look tense. 

"I can't remember anything from the time just before I was 13." I answer, remembering Alya's advice to tell the truth. 

"Thank you, Ms.Dupain-Cheng. I'll send for Alya. I doubt she'd mind rooming with you." Mr.Agreste waves dismissively, turning back to the smaller black device on his desk. He presses a button, and some clanging noises come through. "Alya, please bring Ms.Dupain-Cheng to your room."

"Will do." Alya's voice responds, before Mr.Agreste lets go of the button, and the line falls quiet. 

"What will I do?" I ask after a silent minute. Mr.Agreste looks up immediately, a strange glint in his eyes. 

"Whatever I require of you, Marinette." The statement is said with unexpected malice. It surprises me into silence before Alya comes for me. She torts through the door with a happy grin, pulling me out before I can even greet her. 

"So, girl, how'd it go?" She asks, pulling me down the hallway. I manage to shake myself out of my stupor before giving her an answer. 

"Uh, it went great. I guess." I say when she turns down a different hallway. This one looks less formal, and I can see why. A couple of kids, all about my age, sit outside the rooms, talking and giving me sideways glances. 

"Good! In case you were wondering, these kids here are just some of the team. That's Kim." She says, pointing to the kid with the styled hair and red jacket. "That's Max." She says, pointing to the kid with glasses and suspenders. "And that's..." She sighs as she turns her finger to a girl in expensive looking clothes and a pout. "Chloe." 

"Hi" I wave to them, but the only one to wave back is Max. Kim just stares passively while Chloe narrows her eyes and puts her hands on her hips. A meek looking red-haired girl appears from the door next to the wall she's leaning on, and whispers into her ear. Chloe nods and goes into the room, while the red-haired girl takes Chloe's previous spot. 

"That girl who just came in is Sabrina, Chloe's coordinator." Alya provides before I can ask. Sabrina sends me a small smile before directing her eyes elsewhere. 

We head off again as a new question enters my thoughts. "Coordinator?" Alya smiles and nods, turning into a new hallway, that empty, save for a guy with red hair. 

"Yeah, we have a system here. We have coordinator's that talk our field agents through a mission. I'm usually a coordinator, but I volunteered to go inside because I'm one of the few coordinators that have weak telekinesis." She explains, waving at the boy as we pass.

"Who was that?" I ask as she enters a door marked with her name and a blank space underneath. 

"Nathanael. He's kind of a versatile agent of ours. He'll act as a stand in coordinator or a field-agent." I nod as she closes the door on the simple bedroom. It had two beds, one on the right that looks like it's being used, and one on the left that looks empty. She flops down on the right one, sighing contentedly. There's a huge computer center with a bunch of different monitors and a used looking keyboard. A headset lies over the keyboard, and I understand that this is probably her center of operations when she directs her agent. 

"So, the left one is mine?" I ask, sitting gently. It feels softer than anything I've had in a long time. 

"Yup. You can even choose your own bedsheets later. Mr.Agreste is cool like that. Look! Mine is black with little wifi symbols." She says, bunching the fabric up in her hands. The design is cute, and it definitely fits her. "Also, it's because my codename is Lady Wifi."

"Do you have a red and black polka dot design?" I ask, laying down further. 

"Uh, there should be. You like ladybugs or something?" 

"Something like that." I say, remembering the ladybug mug in my dreams. It calms me, remembering that my past isn't completely lost to me. 

"Is there anyone else I should know about?" I ask as my head hits the pillow. 

"Uh, yeah. Nino is a field agent I've known for a while now, but we're friends and hang out a lot. So just a heads up, he'll be around here a lot." She props her chin up with her hands, like she's considering something. "And you'll see a blond boy in here sometimes with Nino. His name's Adrien. Don't scare him." I yawn as my exhaustion catches up with me. 

"I think I'm going to sleep." I say, closing my eyes. Soon enough, I do. I dream of warm hugs, the smell of baking bread and the feeling of a cloth on my face. 

I wake up to the sound of people talking, it's just chatting, really, but I've grown to be able to wake up at the slightest sound. I open my eyes to a darker room, but there's a bright spot of light just out of my field of vision. 

I yawn as I sit up, turning to find the night sky outside the window and all of the computer monitors turned on. Two people sit, hunched over the keyboard as they talk, and it seems like they're too focused to know I'm awake. I recognize one as Alya, and the other is a tan skinned boy with short cut brown hair. He wears a cap that covers most of it. I cough a little to get their attention and it's the boy who turns first.

"Dude! You're awake. I'm Nino." He says amicably, turning and holding out his hand, revealing black-framed glasses. It's been kind of a long time, but I recognize the gesture for what it is. I grasp onto it hesitantly, but Nino's smile as soon as I do makes it worth it. 

"I'm Marinette. Alya's told me about you." I tell him as he unclasps our hands. Alya finally turns around, smiling at our exchange.

"Sorry, girl. Had to adjust some stuff for Chat Noir's next mission. If you didn't know, I'm Chat's coordinator." She tells me. I nod, not at all surprised that she's Chat Noir's coordinator. I remember now that she was probably the one Chat was talking to when I woke up.

"Uh, not to be annoying or anything, but is there anything I can eat?" I ask, remembering that I hadn't eaten anything in the past day and a half. 

"Yeah, just go down this hallway, then make a right at the next hallway, and then a left. It should be obvious which room to go into, but you can always ask anyone, except Chloe, which one it is. Chloe'll just get you lost on purpose." 

"She doesn't sound too nice." I reply, getting up and brushing my pants off. 

"She isn't. She thinks she can walk all over others because she's the Mayor's daughter." Alya tells me, running a hand through her bangs. Nino nods as she talks, a reserved look on his face. 

"Alright, then. See you in a few." I say, exiting the room. I spot the red haired boy- Nathanael, I think, as soon as I exit. He nods briefly in my direction, before going back to the large book on his hands. His left hand holds it while his right hands flies over the paper. It takes me a moment to notice there's a pencil in it, and I realize he's drawing. I like drawing too, I remember, but it was mostly outlandish dress designs anyways. I can't for the life of me remember why though. Sometimes, the memory loss reminds me just what I'm missing, 

I follow her directions exactly, arriving at a large room with a long table that could fit maybe a dozen people at a time. On the far wall of the room stands an older man with a bowler hat, with a name tag. As I get closer to read it, he smiles gently at me. 

"Hullo, miss. What can I fetch you this fine evening." Mr.Pigeon says, if his name tag is to be trusted. He has a faint British accent that really only came out in the hello. 

"Hi. Um, is there anything to eat for a light dinner?" I ask as he leads me to a chair. He nods as he sits me down, and once I'm seated, he lists it off. 

"A grilled cheese, chicken and noodle soup, and a pb&j." I nod at the choices, an image being brought up in my mind with each one. I remember liking chicken and noodle soup, so I decide to go with that. He nods when I tell him and walks away, exiting through the door at the far end. I study the designs in the wood while I wait for him to come back, and eventually start counting the number of canoe looking things in the dark wood. 

The sound of footsteps startles me out of the comfortable silence, and I immediately hone in on them. They're confident, but wary. It seems this person would be more comfortable anywhere else but here. A head full of blond hair pokes it's way into the doorway, shortly followed by a bright face and green eyes. I startle when I realize this is the boy that asked me for my name a few days ago. He spots me moments later, with my mouth slightly open and my eyes wide. He laughs a little to himself before stepping fully into the room, steps much quieter now. 

"Hello. Never got your name, did I?" He grins sheepishly, taking the spot two chairs down from me. Mr.Pigeon appears moments later with a bowl and spoon. 

"Here you are. Enjoy." He says, placing it down in front of me before turning to Adrien. 

"Ah, Mr.Adrien. What would you like?" He asks, standing primly behind Adrien's chair. Adrien shrugs. 

"Whatever's left. You know I'll eat anything." He tells him, before Mr.Pigeon disappears into the back to get whatever is left. 

'"Marinette." I say, before taking a sip of my soup. Adrien looks up at me in surprise, like he can't believe what he just heard. "My name's Marinette." I repeat, avoiding his eyes. Instead I focus on my soup, with it's yellowish broth and noodles and chicken. 

"Mind if I call you Mari?" He asks quietly after a moment. 

"Yes." I reply, training my eyes on the designs in the wood yet again. He doesn't talk to me after that, and we sit like that as I finish my soup. He still doesn't say a word even as I get up to leave, so I say something for him. 

"Have you ever noticed the canoes in the wood?" I ask, before turning back around and out the door before I ever get a response. I follow the directions back, and Nino's gone by the time I open the door. Alya's asleep on her bed, snoring softly. 

I get into bed before anything I said could catch up to me. I dream of black cats, blurred shots of a small blond haired boy, and a woman's warm face.

I wake up the next morning to the sound of actual birds. I almost cry as I lie in the bed listening to them. It's been so so long. A moment later, as if I knew it would happen, a shrill noise garners my attention. I find it comes from a speaker looking installation on the front wall, to the left of the room. The shrill noise ends, and then it beeps, before a voice comes through. 

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng to Mr.Agreste's office. Marinette Dupain-Cheng to Mr.Agreste's office." I drag myself out of the bed, knowing that I probably shouldn't waste any time. The announcement seems to have woken Alya up, and she mumbles something about "clothes in closet" and "please... out of those clothes". I find a door to the left of my bed and I pull it open, revealing several different outfits. I spy a black jacket, a white t-shirt with a pink flowery design, and pink capris. I look around for another minute until I spy the next essential. Once I have everything I need, plus a pair of black slip-ons, I exit the room, carefully trying to retrace my steps from yesterday. I find it minutes later, and the same woman from yesterday is waiting outside. 

"Ah! Ms.Dupain-Cheng. I see you've found new clothes to wear. I hope they're comfortable. Mr.Agreste waits, dear." Her tone sounds forced, like she doesn't want to be all cheery, but she's been told to. Something about her expression bugs me too. I shrug it off as I step into the office, greeted once again by the cold man behind the desk. 

"Good morning, Ms.Dupain-Cheng. Glad to see you've indulged in the selection of clothes we offer." He goes back to looking at his computer screen and his lips twitch up slightly for a fraction of a second at what he reads. He looks back up, regarding me for another moment before he speaks, "Do you know what I've called you here for?" He motions with his hand, palm up, inviting me to speak. 

"Not particularly. Maybe to test my loyalty?" I ponder, meeting his eyes for the second time. They're infinitely more relaxed, but hold the same tense gaze. 

"A good guess, but no, that is not it. I have reasons to believe you'll be especially loyal to me. That matter aside, I have called you here for a test, one that I believe you have every opportunity to pass." His words are careful, drawn out, and the contents put me on guard. My mind immediately thinks to what sort of test could he possibly want me to take? I just got here. 

"What sort of test?" I ask, testing the waters. He smiles, a small, decisive smile. 

"An aptitude test. I would like you to try and turn this on." He tells me, producing a small red and black circle from seemingly nowhere. 

"How?" 

"Just hold it, dear." He says, offering the device to me. I take it, albeit cautiously. It sits on my palm for a maybe a moment before a gentle whirring sounds, and it opens to reveal a set of earrings. 

"What are these?" 

"The key to an AI. It's name is Tikki." He explains, turning his eyes back to his computer. He presses his mouth into a firm line at whatever is displayed, but he quickly smooths his features out. "Since it worked, I'll send you down to our engineer, Mr. Fu. He'll help you set it up." And then he waves a dismissive hand at me and turns in his chair so he no longer faces me. I turn and walk out to where the attendant woman is, Nathalie, if I remember correctly, and she motions for me to follow her. 

We walk silently down different hallways, when suddenly the mansion becomes less like a home and more like a workplace. There are several computer monitors on several desks, similar to the setup in Alya's room. No one sits at them now, but the screens blaze brightly with the insignia of a white butterfly on a soft lavender background. 

We come to an elevator, and she silently inputs a code into the keypad there. The doors open, and we step in. She taps a button near the bottom, and we start descending. The elevator ride is longer than I'd expect, telling me that this place is deeper underground than I'd originally thought. 

"Um, what happens when we get there?" I ask her, and she lifts her arm up, pretending to check her watch as the doors open. 

"You'll find out. Mr.Fu awaits. I wouldn't keep him waiting." She says, stepping aside to allow me to exit. 

"And where do I go?" I ask, looking at the hallway in front of me. 

"There's only one way to go." She tells me, finishing just as the doors shut and the soft whirring fills the quiet space before me. The first thing I notice is that everything is white. Everything, the floors, the walls, the ceiling, the lights. I swallow as I look down the hallway, and before I know it, I'm walking.


End file.
